Basket parachute release device



. 1,550,495 .J. E. BoLGlANo BASKET PARAHUTE RELEASE DEVICE Filed oct; 24, lbz

2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 18, 192,5. 1,550,495

` J. F. BOLGIANO BASKET PARACHUTE RELEASE DEVICE l 2 Shees-Shaet 2 FiledOct. 2 4, 1923 1N VENTO/e rfohnfogul rw Y TTORN Y Patented Aug. 18,1925.

JOHN r. BoLeiANo, or DAYTON, omo.

BASKET IARAClHQIVIE RELEASE DEVICE.

Application led October 24, 1923. Serial No. 670,538.

To all whom t may concern: f

Be it known that I, JOHN F. BoLGIANo, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dayton, inthe county ot' Montgomery and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Basket Parachute ReleaseDevices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates topa basket release devicetor use in connectionwith observation balloons particularly, but capable of use generallywherever passenger-carrying cars or baskets havingr parachutes or otherdescent retarding devices are releasably attached to air craft.

The principal object ofthe invention is to provide a reliable,quicklyoperating device ot this character, which is carried entirelybythe balloon or other sustaining element so that the basket indescending is not encumbered withv unnecessary weight, and

Vthere is no Adanger of the occupants being injured by having areleasing device or any parts thereof falling upon them.

yThe invention embraces other objects, as for example improvements instructural details which will be brought out in the course of thefollowing description.

Referring tothe drawing illustrating the invention, Fig. 1 isvanenlarged side elevation of the release device shown in cocked orholding position and showing urtherthe balloon rigging and basketrigging in operative relation. Fig. 2 is a perspective detail on astillV further enlarged scale show-ing a manually operated lockingdevice under. the

control of the aeronaut for releasing the basket.v Fig. 3 is a graphicillustration ot' the manner in which the basket descends when releasedand showing also the release device inreleased condition.

The basket or car or other form of passenger carrier 10 of the balloonor other sustainingy element 11, is releasably connected thereto by therelease device indicated generally by the numeral 12, VThe basket isarranged when vreleased in an emergency to Adescend retarded by aparachute 13. The parachute is normally packed in the container 14 inthe releasedevice 12 and held, therein suitably by a trap door 15 heldin place by a rupturable cord or other means. indicated at 16.

The release y'device comprises a pair of vangular frame members 17,0approximately `V or L shape, pivotally'connected at 18 angular frameunit, quickly detachable and held intact by a locking device 19 operated manually by a handle 2O within easy reach of the aeronaut from thebasket 10. The balloon rigging 21 is permanently connected to the frame17 at the sides of .the triangle rameadjacent the base of the triangleas shown, by being looped about the frames and engaged in notches 22therein. The basket rigging 23 is connected to the frame members 17 by aslip-ott" connection such as that provided by engagement in the notches24 in the upper edges of lugs 25 projecting from the inner edges of theframe members 17. This connection for the basket rigging is aorded bylooped extensions 26 spliced or otherwise united with the ropesconstituting the basket rigging, the latter being connected by loops tothe rigging 27 of 'the parachute V13. The basket rigging nection y18 andthereby release the basket 10 for descent to the ground. This isapparent in Fig. 1 in which it will be seen that the balloon rigging 21exerts an outward and upward pull on each of the frame memberswvhile thebasket rigging exerts a generally downward pull thereon tending to swingthe frame members 17 about their pivotal connection 18 and 'move theapex of the triangle frame unit downward toward the collapsed positionshown Fig. 3. However, so long as the locking device 19 is in positionto hold the unattached ends of the trame members 17 together as shown inFig. 1 the basket is securely held from release.

The locking device 19 is composed principally of an aluminum castinginterposed between the nnattached ends of the frame members 17 at themiddle oi" the base of the triangular frame as shown and has flanges 2Sforming with a bottom wall 29 a pair o1' opposed recesses to receive theends of the V whole by the aeronaut.' The locking device 'is held inplace wit-h the posts in holding position by a latch 32 on the upper endof the shat't in which the handle 2O is provided. The latch 32 isyieldingly urged downwardly with the shaft 33 by a coiled tension spring84 on the shaft 33 acting between the handle 20 and the lower side otthe locking device. The latch 32 when in the position shown in Fig. 2has its ends overlying the ends ot' the frame members 17 so thatdownward movement ot the locking device is prevented. However, when Vthehandle 20 is turned through approximately 90 degrees the latch 32 isturned to withdraw the ends trom overlapping relation to the framemembers and .downward movement the locking device is permitted. As aprecaution against accidental turning ot the handle 20, the pin 35 ispreferably provided to drop in a notch 3G under the action of the spring3l when the latch 32 is moved to its locked position. it pair of wedgeshaped blocks S9 setting on top ot the unattached ends oi' the tramemembers 17 between plates 38, have one end engaged under the overlyingends or the latch 32 and have their free ends of enlarged proportions asshown at 39 to lie adjacent the looped extensions 2G of the`basketrigging Q3 to avoid the accidental displacement thereof from thenotches 2e due to a jarring oit' the basket when the latter touches theground, either in taking ott or landing. These blocks tall out of theway, 'free ot the releasing` device when the. basket is released, sothat the basket rigging slips freely ott' the release device.

I claim:

l. ln combination, a sustaining device, a passenger carrier havingdescent-retarding means., a trap trame supported from and rcmaining withsaid sustaining device tor releasabl)1 interconnecting the riggings oitsaid device and said carrier, said i'rame providing a hook lfordetachablf.7 connecting the carrier rigging, and means nnder manualcontrol trom said passenger' carrier for holding iid :traine set untilthe desired moment ot Yreleasing said carrier when the hook is allowedto become inverted.

2. n combination, a sustaining device, a passenger carrier havingdescent-retarding means connected thereto, a trap "trame, ging on saidsustaining device permanently connected to said traine, rigging on saidpassenger carrier rele. sab connected therewith to slip oil'A when saidtrap -trame is released, said riggings keeping said ,iii-ame underconstant tension toward opening in operation, and means under manualcontrol from said passenger carrier Ytor holding said trame set untilthe desired moment to release said carrier.

3. In combina-tion with an aerostat, and a basket carrier having a`parachute attached thereto, a trap device for releasably interconnectingthe riggings of said aerostat and said basket comprising a pair offrames of approximately V or L shape having pivotal connection by a legof each trame and having a quickly detachable connection operable byhand from said basket for the other legs ol' said frames, said aerostathaving its rigging permanentl).7 connected to said trames and saidbasket having its rigging detachably engaged on said trames ttordisconnection when saidtrap device collapses upon being` released, themanner of connection ot said riggings normally keeping said device undertension toward collapsing, and a lockinff member under manual controlfrom said basket lor keeping said trap device intact nntil the desiredmoment or releasing said basket.

Il.. A basket parachute release device comprising a pair ot angular:trames pivot-ally connected by a leg ot each trame forming togetherapproximately a triangle frame unit with the pivotal connection as thevertical apex, aerostat rigging permanently connected to said trames onvthe two sides of said triangle, rigging for said basket detachablyVengaged on said trames alongside said other rigging connections tobecome detached from said trames in releasing said basket, said riggingspulling oppositely in operation tending to swing said trames on theirpivotal connections to release. the rigging or said basket, andamanually-removable locking member at the base of the triangle frame torquickly detachably connecting the unattaclied legs of said frames.

5. A basket parachute release device comprising a pair of angular tramespivotally connected by a leg oit each `frame forming together inoperative relation an approximate triangle with the pivotal connectionas the vert-icalapex, aerostat riggings att-ached to the trames on thetwo sides ot the triangle Vexerting tension outwardly and upwardly inoperation, basket riggings detachably engaging said frames exerting adownward vtension in operation which with the tension exerted by saidaerostat riggings tendsnormally to open said frames and swing the samerelative to each other on their pivotal connection, and a locking memberfor quickly detachably connecting the unattached legs of said frames.

G. A basket parachute release device comprising a. pair of pivotallyconnected angular frames forming .together an approximate triangle withthe pivotal connect-ion as the vertical apex, a parachute containersupported within said trames at said pivotal connection, a basketparachute in said container, a basket rigging connected thereto andhaving a slip-oft engagement on one leg of each frame, an aerostat4rigging having permanent connections thereon exerting with `said basket.rigging tensions on said trames tending to move them and release lsaidbasket lll) rigging, and a manually removable locking member operablefrom said basket at the d esired moment for releasably securing saidframes in holding position.

7 In a release device for basket para chutes and the like, thecombination of a sustaining rigging, a parachute or basket rigging, andmeans for detachably interconnect ing the riggings comprising a framepermanently connected with one of: said rggings at one point, and havingthe other rigging detachably engaged thereon at another' point so spacedas to provide by the tension of the riggings a force couple tending toturn said frame and effect the release of the detachable rigging, andmeans for detachably holding said frame against turning.

8. In a release device for basket parachutes and the like, thecombination of a pair oi supporting riggings, a pair of parachute orbasket riggings, and means for'detachably interconnecting said riggingscomprising a pair of hinged frames permanently secured to one pair ofrig ings and having the other pair of riggings etachably engaged on saidframes, the points of attachment of said riggings on each of said framesbeing spaced so the tension of the riggings forms a pair of torce'couples on the frames, tending to produce a hinging movement thereoftoward releasing the detachable riggings, and means for detachablyholding said :trames cruXed with the detachable riggings engaged on saidframes.

9. In a release chutes or the like,

device for basket parathe combination of a pair oi' supporting riggings,a pair ofparachute or basket riggings, and means for detachablyinterconnecting said riggings comprising a pair of hinged Jframespermanently secured to one pair of riggings and having the other pair ofriggings detachably engaged thereon, said frames being cocked insupporting position against the tension of said riggings which tendnormally7 to pro` duce a hinging movement of the :trames towardreleasing the detachable riggings, said frames having arms extending injuxtaposition for detachable connection, and a manually operable lockingdevice for detachably interconnecting said arms comprising a plateextending across the junction of the arms and a latch insertible betweensaid arms and rotatable into holding position across the junction of thearms on the opposite side Jfrom the plate.

In testimony whereof I aiX my signature.

JOHN F. BOLGIANO.

